Kangaroo Flat VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA info@thebushfirefoundation.org 1800 347 278 (1800 DISASTER)

PREPARING YOUR GARDENS

You can reduce the fame and heat near your house by properly designing your garden, Fire doesn’t jump, it burns where there’s fuel. If you reduce and break up fuel, you can make the fire slower and less hot.

 

Lawns and Garden Beds

Keep lawns between 5cm and 10cm. This means they are short enough to minimise fuel for fire but they can retain moisture
Where possible keep garden beds away from the house.
Try to mulch garden beds within 10 meters of the house with stones not flammable materials
Keep garden beds clear of weeds and remove any dead vegetation
Keep plants well watered over warmer months.

Shrubs and Trees

Remove shrubs, plants and other flammable materials from around the bottom of trees. These can move fire up to the top of a tree and create embers.
look for bark that hangs of the tree and make sure it’s well clear of the ground.
Clear any branches away that overhang your house or decking.
Remove dead branches from trees.
Keep shrubs well watered, pruned and away from your house.

Green Waste

Don’t leave piles of green waste near your home
Either dispose of them at the tip or in your usual green waste bin or, if you’re allowed
you may be able to burn of before the warmer season

Breaking up Fuels

One way to reduce the speed and heat of a fire  is to create spaces without any fuel. If you break up fuel such as plants, garden beds and tree canopies, the fire can’t spread as easily through your property. Fire needs a path of fuel to travel.
You do this by
Keeping shrubs and plants away from the bottom of trees
Using gravel paths and non-flammable mulch
Keeping grass no longer than 10cm between trees, shrubs and garden beds
Pruning tree branches at least 2 meters above the ground
Keeping trees separated by pruning back branches

Choose the Right Plants:

Although all plants will burn under the right conditions, some plants are less likely to catch fire than others. Choosing plants with low flammability and locating them correctly will help reduce the fire risk in a garden.